Mental Health Help-seeking Promotion in Older Adults

NCT06707935 | Active Not Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: HSEARS20231109001
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 540
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The present study aims to examine the effectiveness of descriptive social norm nudges and pictorial social norm nudges in improving mental health help-seeking intention compared to educational information.

Conditions

Mental Health Help-seeking

Keywords

co-design; nudge; behavioural economics; mental health; help-seeking

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Subjective norms toward mental health help-seeking

  Subjective norms toward mental health help-seeking will be measured by six items adapted from the validated Chinese version of the TPB questionnaire (C-TPB) . The three items will measure descriptive norms describing what society, in general, does when facing mental health challenges, and the other three items will measure social norms describing what the significant others of the participant would do. Responses will be rated on a 6-point Likert scale, with higher scores indicating higher levels of subjective norms about mental health help-seeking.

  Baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1, two weeks after T0), and to 12 weeks after the baseline (T2)

• Mental health help-seeking intention

  Mental health help-seeking intention will be measured on a 3-item subscale of C-TPB. Responses will be rated on a 6-point Likert scale, with higher scores indicating higher levels of help-seeking intention.

  Baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1, two weeks after T0), and to 12 weeks after the baseline (T2)

Secondary Outcomes (6)

• Perceived behavioural control

  Baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1, two weeks after T0), and to 12 weeks after the baseline (T2)

• Help-seeking attitude

  Baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1, two weeks after T0), and to 12 weeks after the baseline (T2)

• Perceived barriers to help-seeking

  Baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1, two weeks after T0), and to 12 weeks after the baseline (T2)

• Depressive symptoms

  Baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1, two weeks after T0), and to 12 weeks after the baseline (T2)

• Anxiety symptoms

  Baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1, two weeks after T0), and to 12 weeks after the baseline (T2)

Study Arms (3)

Descriptive social norm nudges

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants receive messages with social norm nudges presented in the word form.

Behavioral: Descriptive social norm nudges

Pictorial social norm nudges

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants receive messages with social norm nudges presented in graphic form.

Behavioral: Pictorial social norm nudges

Active control

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants receive messages with generic mental health knowledge or information.

Behavioral: Service as usual

Interventions

Descriptive social norm nudges BEHAVIORAL

A set of messages with descriptive social norm nudges sent to participants.

Descriptive social norm nudges

Pictorial social norm nudges BEHAVIORAL

A set of messages with pictorial social norm nudges sent to participants.

Pictorial social norm nudges

Service as usual BEHAVIORAL

Traditional mental health education information disseminated to participants.

Active control

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 60 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• aged 60 years or above at the time of the baseline assessment
• have no severe mental disorder or cognitive impairment
• have no severe visual impairment
• be able to read Chinese
• have a smartphone with an instant communication application to receive text and images

You may not qualify if:

• have severe difficulty in reading and communication
• show imminent suicidal risk at any stage of the study

Sponsors & Collaborators

• The Hong Kong Polytechnic University: lead
• The University of Hong Kong: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Liu T, Liu KHK, Leung DKY, Zhang W, Kwok WW, Wong GHY, Lum TYS. Using Co-Designed Norm-Based Nudges to Promote Mental Health Help-Seeking Intentions Among Older Adults: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Res Protoc. 2026 Jul 21;15:e103455. doi: 10.2196/103455.

  PMID: 42480100 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Psychological Well-Being

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Personal Satisfaction; Behavior

Study Officials

• Tianyin Liu, PhD

  The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: November 25, 2024
• First Posted: November 27, 2024
• Study Start: December 1, 2024
• Primary Completion: August 31, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2026
• Last Updated: September 16, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-09

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

HK (1)